On Basilisk Station: Honor Harrington, Book 1

Honor Harrington has been exiled to Basilisk station and given an antique ship to police the system. The vindictive superior who sent her there wants her to fail. But he made one mistake: he's made her mad....

At the Sign of Triumph: Safehold, Book 9

The Church of God Awaiting's triumph over Charis was inevitable. Despite its prosperity, the Charis was a single, small island realm. It boasted less than two percent of the total population of Safehold. How could it possibly resist total destruction? The Church had every reason to be confident of a swift, crushing victory, an object lesson to other rebels.

Live Free or Die: Troy Rising, Book One

When aliens trundled a gate to other worlds into the solar system, the world reacted with awe, hope and fear. But the first aliens to come through, the Glatun, were peaceful traders and the world breathed a sigh of relief.

The Shadow of Saganami

The Star Kingdom has a new generation of officers! And this elite group hand-picked and trained by Honor Harrington herself is going to be needed immediately, as their first assignment turns out to be more dangerous than anyone expected. What was supposed to be a quiet outpost, far from the blazing conflict between the Star Kingdom of Manticore and the People's Republic of Haven has actually been targeted by an unholy alliance between the slaveholders of Manpower.

Steel World: Undying Mercenaries, Book 1

In the 20th century Earth sent probes, transmissions, and welcoming messages to the stars. Unfortunately, someone noticed. The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined their vast Empire. Swearing allegiance to our distant alien overlords wasn't the only requirement for survival. We also had to have something of value to trade, something that neighboring planets would pay their hard-earned credits to buy. As most of the local worlds were too civilized to have a proper army, the only valuable service Earth could provide came in the form of soldiers....

Storm from the Shadows

Rear Admiral Michelle Henke was commanding one of the ships in a force led by Honor Harrington in an all-out space battle. The odds were against the Star Kingdom forces, and they had to run. But Michelle's ship was crippled, and had to be destroyed to prevent superior Manticoran technology from falling into Havenite hands, and she and her surviving crew were taken prisoner.

Pushing Ice

2057. Humanity has raised exploiting the solar system to an art form. Bella Lind and the crew of her nuclear-powered ship, the Rockhopper, push ice. They mine comets. And they're good at it. The Rockhopper is nearing the end of its current mission cycle, and everyone is desperate for some much-needed R & R, when startling news arrives from Saturn: Janus, one of Saturn's ice moons, has inexplicably left its natural orbit and is now heading out of the solar system at high speed.

Swarm: Star Force, Book 1

Kyle Riggs is snatched by an alien spacecraft sometime after midnight. The ship is testing everyone it catches and murdering the weak. The good news is that Kyle keeps passing tests and staying alive. The bad news is the aliens who sent this ship are the nicest ones out there.

Crown of Slaves

The Star Kingdom's ally Erewhon is growing increasingly restive in the alliance because the new High Ridge regime ignores its needs. Add to that the longstanding problem of a slave labor planet controlled by hostile Mesans in Erewhon's stellar back yard, a problem which High Ridge also ignores.

The Sharing Knife, Volume 1: Beguilement

Young, pregnant Fawn Bluefield has just fled her family's farm to the city of Glassforge, where she encounters a patrol of the enigmatic soldier-sorcerers known as Lakewalkers. Fawn has heard stories about the Lakewalkers, who are wandering necromancers with no permanent homes and no possessions except the clothes they wear and the mysterious knives they carry. What she does not know is that the Lakewalkers are engaged in a perilous campaign against inhuman and immortal magical entities known as "malices".

City of Golden Shadow: Otherland, Book 1

Surrounded by secrecy, it is home to the wildest dreams and darkest nightmares. Incredible amounts of money have been lavished on it. The best minds of two generations have labored to build it. And somehow, bit by bit, it is claiming the Earth's most valuable resource - its children.

The Lost Fleet: Dauntless

Captain John "Black Jack" Geary's legendary exploits are known to every schoolchild. Revered for his heroic "last stand" in the early days of the war, he was presumed dead. But a century later, Geary miraculously returns from survival hibernation and reluctantly takes command of the Alliance fleet as it faces annihilation by the Syndics.

Appalled by the hero-worship around him, Geary is nevertheless a man who will do his duty. And he knows that bringing the stolen Syndic hypernet key safely home is the Alliance's one chance to win the war. But to do that, Geary will have to live up to the impossibly heroic "Black Jack" legend.

The Mote in God's Eye

The Mote In God's Eye is their acknowledged masterpiece, an epic novel of mankind's first encounter with alien life that transcends the genre. No lesser an authority than Robert A. Heinlein called it "possibly the finest science fiction novel I have ever read".

A Call to Duty: Book I of Manticore Ascendant

Growing up, Travis Uriah Long yearned for order and discipline in his life...he two things his neglectful mother couldn’t or wouldn’t provide. So when Travis enlisted in the Royal Manticoran Navy, he thought he’d finally found the structure he’d always wanted so desperately. But life in the RMN isn’t exactly what he expected. Boot camp is rough and frustrating; his first ship assignment lax and disorderly; and with the Star Kingdom of Manticore still recovering from a devastating plague, the Navy is possibly on the edge of budgetary extinction.

Orbital Decay

The award-winning, bestselling author's first novel. The beamjacks work in zero-gravity constructing satellites in the vacuum of deepest space. And they're not going to let the military control them anymore.

A Beautiful Friendship: Star Kingdom, Book 1

Stephanie Harrington had always expected to be a forest ranger on her homeworld of Meyerdahl until her parents relocated to the frontier planet of Sphinx in the far distant Star Kingdom of Manticore. It should have been the perfect new home - a virgin wilderness full of new species of every sort, just waiting to be discovered. But Sphinx is a far more dangerous place than ultra-civilized Meyerdahl, and Stephanie's explorations come to a sudden halt when her parents lay down the law: no trips into the bush without adult supervision!

Time's Eye: A Time Odyssey, Book 1

For eons, Earth has been under observation by the Firstborn, beings almost as old as the universe itself. The Firstborn are unknown to humankind - until they act. In an instant, Earth is carved up and reassembled like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Suddenly the planet and every living thing on it no longer exist in a single timeline.

Dragonflight: Dragonriders of Pern

On the beautiful planet Pern, colonized for centuries, Land Holders and Craftsmen have traditionally tithed food and supplies to the dragonweyrs to which they are bound. In times past, the mighty telepathic dragons and their riders were the only protection from the dreaded, life-threatening Thread. Now those times may be returning....

Publisher's Summary

It's hard to give peace a chance when the other side regards conquest as the only option and a sneak attack as the best means to that end. That's why the Kingdom of Manticore needs allies against the Republic of Haven, and the planet Grayson is strategically situated to make a very good ally indeed. But Her Majesty’s Foreign Office overlooked a “minor cultural difference” when they chose Honor Harrington to carry the flag: women on the planet of Grayson are without rank or rights and Honor’s mere presence is an intolerable affront to every male on the planet.

At first Honor doesn’t take it personally. But, in time, such treatment becomes taxing and she makes plans to withdraw until Grayson’s fratricidal sister planet attacks without warning. Now, Honor must stay and prevail, not just for her honor, but for her sovereign’s, for the honor of the Queen.

A Note from Author David Weber There's been some confusion—not to say, um, energetic debate, readers and fans being readers and fans—about the correct pronunciation of "Manticoran." The truth, alas, is that a stitch was dropped. An error occurred. A mistake was made… and it wasn't Audible's fault. It was mine. Before Audible recorded the very first Honor Harrington book, narrator Allyson Johnson and I not only corresponded by e-mail but actually spoke to one another by phone. She wanted to make absolutely certain she had the correct pronunciations for names, places, star nations, etc., and I tried to make certain all of her questions were answered. And so they were. Unfortunately, at some point in the process, I replied to one of her e-mails by telling her that "Man-ti-core-ahn" was pronounced "Man-tik-er-ahn." Exactly how this happened is more than I can say at this point, except to blushingly disclose that the original e-mail remains intact, confirming to all the world that it was, indeed, my fault. I can ascribe it only to a temporary mental hiccup on my part and crave your forgiveness. If, however, you must blame someone for the mix-up, that someone should be me and not Audible, who have done everything they could to get it right.

A 50-something who loves sci-fi, cozy mysteries, thrillers, an occasional romance, and any genre if it is a good story. And especially if it makes me laugh! No vampires or zombies though - these are NOT sci-fi!

The second book in the series introduces the planet Grayson, and its misogynistic people. But not as misogynistic as the Masadans! Honor once again saves the day, several times, and manages to make some powerful enemies as well as some good friends. The narrator did an excellent job, even with all the different characters she has to voice.

In this book the character and history of Honor Harrington is further developed and a lot of background that is referred to in later books is laid down. The story flows well and the reading is excellent. I am not sure why or if there was some logic for the particular accents selected by the narrator, but it does serve well to help keep the characters organized. Highly recommended as a follow on to On Basilisk Station...

Once I started to read the series, now I feel obligated to reread the whole series in English.

This book is very important in the series as Honor gets introduced to the Graysons for the first time and vice versa. The way the misogynist society perceives women in military as an abomination and then how they start to grudgingly accept Honor was interesting. On the other side the abuse her crew suffer in the prison camp is just horrible and it almost made me cry listening to it. The narrator was just that good. The number of people dying is horrific as with any kind of military war stories but still the series is very entertaining and I am looking foward to rereading and read the more recent ones for the first time too.

1*=I didn't like it.....
2*=It was OK......
3*=It was good but I will never read it again..........
4*=Maybe I will read it again in the future..............
5*=I will definitely read it again(maybe more than once)

This book expands HHU, New characters, new planets, some politics.I consider this book to be a page out of feudal Japan history, this book also lays the principal blocks for the future grandiose actions and plots,it helps to move beyond just space battles.

Old "Fearless" will be scuttled, Honor receives a new ship just out of docks, She accompanies a diplomatic mission to Yeltsin star, where she encounters religiously conservative, sexist world Grayson, assassination plots and human cruelty.

PSThere are lots negative reviews of Allyson Johnson's narration, Despite what people say I think she is a perfect fit.She uses enough different voices and tones, that you can easily separate and identify any of the characters, her way of reading is unobtrusive, you don't get any of readers personal feelings on the subject, so you have freedom to make your own decision.

STORY - This story has such an exciting, dangerous, complicated plot, I hate to criticize it. There are many characters with ulterior motives that make things interesting and keep the plot twisting. But there are two really big problems, IMHO, with this book. First, Honor is so honorable, brave and perfect that she's not "human." There's not anything specifically to dislike about her but there's also nothing to really make you care about her either. Second, there is way too much information about interplanetary politics, ship capabilities, speeds, weaponry, etc. Yes, that's what makes this type of story interesting, but I became bored as it drug on and on multiple times in the book.

You will have to keep many characters and their motivations straight. This is not an easy listen. There are also some pretty bad things which happen in this book to Honor and many of her crew. The last two hours are very, very tense and the ending is emotional. If I had been more emotionally involved with Honor, I'm sure I would have cried. (But you may chuckle every time they talk about a pennis, which is like a shuttle, but then my mind may just be in the gutter).

I listened to Book 1 and now Book 2. They don't need to be heard in order, but there is mention of some events and characters from Book 1 in this book.

PERFORMANCE - She does a pretty good job with Honor's "soprano" voice, as it's called multiple times in the story, as well as male voices and a few accents. Overall, though, I didn't really care for her basic reading style. This book is about a dangerous military mission, and she sounds like she's reading a classic novel. I think a different reader, perhaps even male, would have been much better.

OVERALL - Recommended for men and women who enjoy interplanetary politics and battles. Not for children.

I loved this series when I first read it, and am enjoying a second time on audio. Another great piece of work by David Weber with all the space battles, politics, and theoretical physics you could want. The narrator does an excellent job of voicing the characters as they are described in the books, particularly the main character's clipped feminine soprano. The narrator has also picked up on the fact that the Republic of Haven bears a great deal of resemblence to the French (their capitol is even named New Paris), and the Kingdom of Manticore to the British, and capitolized on it by giving the characters from each star nation the correct accents. This really helps highlight when the story has changed viewpoints and makes for a more interesting narration.

I've read all of the series over the years, and listened to two Audible versions. If you are new to the series, and don't want to start with the first chronologically in the life to the heroine, Honor Harrington, then I suggest you start here. The later books get a little wordy and could have used better editing. By contrast, the here the character is developed well and the action scenes come along at a tolerable pace.

Well narrated.

One of the things I like most about Honor is that she is a strong, self-possessed person. That comes throught well here.

The narrator's cadence was distracting. It felt like there were inappropriate pauses after the articles, making it sound as if she was putting the words in "quotes." The narration was distracting enough that I stopped listening to the book.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to reading this book, as the story seemed interesting even though I could not listen to it.

I love this book in its written form which is why a purchased the audio version. Unfortunately the narrator doesn't seem to have paid attention to the characters and has given the lead character, Honor, a girly, whiney voice which is a complete turnoff

Would you consider the audio edition of The Honor of the Queen to be better than the print version?

No, yet as I make that flat out statement, I do not wish to take away from Ms Johnson's talented reading skills. In the first book I was prepared not to like the way she read. Well. ... . maybe that is only a half truth. I was determined not to like the way she read. But, by the end of the fourth chapter, I was willing to admit that she was not bad, still not good by any means but not bad. By the end of the seventh chapter she was getting better and by the end of the ninth chapter we were old friends.She continues her high level of reading into the second book as well. So, if I think this highly of her reading skills why do I still think that personal reading is better. . .? When you read a book on your own you need to be so wraped up in the reading that you literly climb into the book and let it transport you to the time and place you are reading about. When someone elser is reading to you, your mind has a tendency to wander more often than when you personally read the text.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Honor of the Queen?

Again Weber makes several memorable moments in his books and this one is no excception. The best I believe is when Nimitz and Honor show their willingness to get up close and personal with the assains that attempted to assinate Proctector Benjamine. Another when Honor proves human and looses control and slaps Reginald Houseman across the room and again at the Blackbird base and had to be restrained by Scotty Tremaine. And once again in the final battle as to how her people again and again surpass the best that can be done to reach mythic proportions. We have many stories of such daring in extream crisis throughout the history of mankind and each and all can be attributited to the mark that one person made upon another by great sacrifice in the face of adversity.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final run for Grayson by the Masadan's who had finally figured out that all they had to do to defeat Harrington was to keep coming and pounding away at her because their ship was bigger, meaner, and tougher. She could not last. Honor realizing this and having already made up her mind that it would be her final attempt to stop or slow them down, turned to the communications office and requested that Hammermill be played as they made the final run.

I have read every book in the Honor Harrington universe twice over and listened to all at least once. Many people complain about his (Mr Weber) penchant for techno babble. . . . . if a world class chef cooks me a prim cut of steak and it is the best in existance. . . . I will listen to him tell me how he is going to prepare it and tenderize it and flavour it and any other thing he wants to tell me, as long as he delivers the most magnificent piece of meat I have ever eaten!

This book is subtly different to the first in the series, 'On Basilisk Station'. And in my opinion, not quite as good. But before you dash off thinking 'aw it's rubbish then'. You need to note how great I thought the first one was. It was great!

As with all second books, this one takes less time to paint the universe that it is set in. But still repeats a substantial chunk of the first book in explaining the physics and politics that make up such a large part of the appeal (for me at least) of this series. I can understand this... You don't want to alienate new readers. But I made the effort of starting at the start. I know this stuff... move on.

Don't get me wrong, this is still a pretty damn fine book. But it was not as compulsively grabbing as the first. And to be honest this does not surprise me hugely. How many series can you name where the second coming is as good, or even better than the first with less than 3 years between them (these were seperated by 14 months). After all, perfection takes time.

But do not be despondant. It is still great. There is more of an emphasis on space combat in this book. It still has it's fair share of political shinanigans, this time mixed with a pinch of religious zealotry. The twists are equally twisty. And there is an added level of grit that brings it a couple of steps further into the adult arena. The tension and build up is still there. But this time it did feel faintly contrived. Personally, I am just putting this down to the fact that I listend to 'Basilisk' and this book, back to back.

In short. It is well worth you attention. But I would recommend that you leave a gap between listening to 'Basilisk' and this one. It is a seriously good listen. But that delay will prevent the 'It IS good, but not quite as tight as the first' comparisons.

Look, I still gave it four stars!!! It's good. Honest!!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Joerg

SiegburgGermany

12/25/09

Overall

"Great!"

Great novel and wonderful audiobook. I live Allyson Johnson's interpretation.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sarah

Grange-over-Sands, United Kingdom

5/20/09

Overall

"Book 2 of the Honor Harrington series."

Just like the first Honor book,On Basilisk Station, this is great sci-fi and 'space opera'. The reader's still ponderous, but you get used to her.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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